Heists and Hotel Suites
by Busman's Holiday
Summary: When Ste faces money worries, he finds himself involved with Brendan's dodgy dealings and the two pair up for schemes. Trust and excitement draw them together again.
1. Chapter 1

**Heists and Hotel Suites**

**Chapter One**

Before Ste had even had the chance to clock the hourly rate of a job in the paper, the Chester Herald was snatched from his grip and thrown to the other end of the bar.

"Break's over," said the snarly Irish voice.

"Oi! I was reading that!" Ste said, the biro falling from his mouth to his hand.

"Yeah? And I've got a club to run. Your point being?" He wore a big collared shirt today, flared up like a peacock's tail ready for attention. Or trouble.

"Nothing," Ste replied sulkily, jumping from the bar stool. He was about to head back round behind the bar when Brendan stopped him with his palm to Ste's chest, licked his thumb and rubbed it over a black mark above Ste's lip.

Ste pushed him off.

"Biro," Brendan said with a shrug, watching as Ste now stood wiping his mouth viciously with his sleeve.

And this is how it had been for the last few months: boss and employee, cold and stroppy. Not a single explosion of after-hours passion. No longing looks, no reconciliation. No slow build of trust and friendship, no signs of apologies or change. No cat and mouse games which leads to sex and confrontation and a heavy weight of regret. None of that.

It had been difficult, it was a set up that needed to be acted and forced. Behaving so frostily, clipping conversations and glances to the necessary minimum didn't come naturally to either of them; there was and probably always would be, this underlying buzz in the air. Tension and sparks were ignored and Ste did his very best to keep any interaction they had out in public, not alone and definitely not behind closed doors.

Moments later when Brendan picked up the paper himself, lounging by the bar with a cup of tea and close enough to aggravate Ste, he hummed loudly.

Taking the bait, Ste was forced to ask. "What?"

"Someone's been scribbling over the job section," he said, rubbing at the biro smudge on his thumb and looking to Ste, "Spreading your wings Stephen?"

He tensed uncomfortably, suddenly the scuffed marks on the bar being of greater interest to him. Even since Amy had left her job at the school, finding her working relationship with Pete too tough to handle since the crash and burn of their brief romance, things had been tight especially with the kids to consider. Despite Brendan giving him a bigger pay packet than the other bar staff – for obvious reasons – it was beginning to look like he needed to step up and take on extra work.

"Don't ask him for any more shifts," Amy had said one morning when they frowned over money woes, their hands wrinkled in the washing up bowl. "You're at the club all the week as it is. You see _him_ far more than you see Noah even!"

Ste couldn't even really argue with that: she had a point. But there were no jobs at the spa, which ruled out the killing two birds with one stone option. He'd asked at Relish, at the pub even (despite Heidi Costello's scowl) but there was nothing. He idly considered working as the council's skivvy again – but he was better than that now, he thought.

Delivering catalogues – he could do that – he'd thought as he'd circled the paper.

"You know you earn more here in day than you'd earn in a fortnight doin' that," Brendan said, running his finger over the advert Ste had circled and starred. He threw the paper down onto the coffee table, its pages flopping limply and strode over to the bar with his mug in hand.

Ste took his turn to ignore him once more, sorting crisps under the bar.

"If it's a loan you need Stephen…" Brendan began, slipping his hand into the inside of his jacket pocket.

"No," Ste said, "I don't want your money." Brendan's hold over him was great enough without him owing Brendan money too.

Brendan gave him a smug smile of amusement. He knew Ste was too proud to ask for money these days, he wasn't as easily paid off as he had been before. He dropped his wallet back into his pocket.

"There's always a spot of poker…same cut as before, providing you feed me the necessary information," Brendan said, his voice quiet. The description of cheating on his tongue sounded like a seductive foreplay rather than simple trickery.

Ste, being wise to the fact his offer was likely more than just a game of cards, refused. "I'm not getting involved in anything like that. Again,"

Flashing him a teeth baring smile, Brendan turned and left. "Happy job hunting then, Stephen. " As a parting shot, he left his empty mug on the bar top, "Put this in the dishwasher will ya?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

After a week of delivering catalogues, hoodie plastered to his head in rain, Ste was beginning to wonder if this was really worth it. He'd turned on the charm, he'd begged and pleaded on countless doorsteps in the village and he'd even trudged into town with armfull's of catalogues in the hopes just one person would make an order of bleach and whatever other crap he was trying to flog for the company.

He'd rung doorbells and smoothed out his fringe, plastered on a smile and if he didn't have the door slammed again, or a catalogue thrown at him, he'd have some snotty cow turn her nose up at his trackies and trainers which were so old the sole was worn right through.

The worst thing was, he was a hundred quid down, having the buy the catalogues himself before he'd even attempted to sell anything.

"Well we could do with some oven cleaner," Amy had said as they sat on the sofa in the flat with beans and fish fingers on their laps.

"And how does that benefit us eh? I'm already out of pocket,"

"Alright! I was only trying to help!" Amy said. She rested her plate on the floor and tucked her knees under herself on the sofa. Her face softened in sadness, "I'm really proud of you for trying Ste,"

"For all the good it's doing!" he grumbled.

Amy reached out and rubbed his hand. "But I'm just glad, you know, that you haven't gone to him for money,"

"I'm not anyone's charity case," Ste said. He scoffed, "You know even Noah tried to pay for this whole fancy meal we had out the other night. I didn't even wanna go there in the first place, it was a right rip off."

"Ste!" Amy said with a sigh, "Maybe he was trying to treat his boyfriend! You are daft sometimes."

Ste stood up, snatching the plates to wash them up. "No. I just don't like being treated like some poor little kid,"

The only thing he'd made from the lousy catalogue business amounted to a little less than a tenner. He could feel the measly coins rattling in his pocket as he went to pick up Leah from the nursery. On arriving there, he was quickly greeted by one of the ladies who worked there – Miss Phelps Leah's favourite. She was crouched down with Leah sobbing against her polo shirt.

"Leah what's wrong sweetheart?" Ste cried as he approached, knocked back a little when Leah threw herself into his arms.

Miss Phelps stroked her head. "Leah's had a bit of a bad day today. One of the other children has damaged Mr Snozzle." Mr Snozzle was Leah's favourite bear, pink and the fluffiest toy you've ever seen, given to her by Mike. She carted it around everywhere and as evidenced by her behaviour at the nursery, couldn't bear to be without him.

When Ste later saw Mr Snozzle he'd had his eyes picked out and blue paint splodged over his fur and Ste had his little girl crying all the way home. He tried to tell her that she would now get to take other special teddies into nursery and he would buy her some sweets from Price Slice but she was heartbroken.

When Ste arrived back at the flat, Leah had exhausted herself and headed for a nap after a long cuddle from Amy. Ste tried to make a start on the dinner but could find next to nothing in the cupboards.

As Amy emerged from settling Leah, Ste could see she was tearful.

"Ames, what's wrong?"

"We can't even afford to replace Leah's bear! Lucas needs new shoes, Leah will be starting school soon – we've got her uniform to buy and we've barely got any money to buy food!"

Amy slumped into the sofa, covering her face. Rushing over, Ste put his arm round her.

"We'll sort it, it's okay. We've managed on less than this before," he said.

"We shouldn't have to Ste! I can't even get my job back at the school because they've found someone else already."

Ste kissed her cheek. "I'll sort it," he said softly.

They'd made sacrifices already. He was going to have to swallow his pride.

There was a fearless rap of knuckles on the office door.

"Stephen," he said simply, "Always a pleasure. Take a seat, make yourself at home."

Ste blinked, unfazed by the speedy ramble he gave, laced with his dry humour. He closed the door before him.

"About the poker game…"


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

"And what made you change your mind?" Brendan asked. He poured himself a whiskey, watching it glugged over the ice with a quick, satisfied twist of a smile in Ste's direction. Without asking, he opened Ste a beer and although he refused, he pushed it at him anyway.

"If you wanna do business with me, you'll drink with me."

Brendan pressed him again for his motive.

"Money," Ste replied glumly, refusing to look Brendan in the eye. His fingernails scratched the surface of the bottle's label. "Me kids,"

Brendan's expression sobered in understanding. For men like them, it was always the kids – keeping them safe, feeding them – it was a way of life. It had been like that for all his, and he knew when it came to it, Stephen wasn't all that different. He could pout and frown and point to the rule book all he liked, but he wouldn't see his kids suffer.

Ste found himself waffling about Leah, about Mr Snozzle (and berated Brendan's bemusement at the bear's name and demise) and how utterly hopeless he felt with not even a spare tenner to buy her a crappy replacement.

"Here," Brendan said, reaching into the back pocket of his black jeans, "Just take an advance on your wages,"

"No. No," Ste said, "I don't wanna owe anything. To anyone. I'll work for it. I'll help you win at the poker. I'll feed you the others' hands but no favours, no loans."

"As you wish Stephen," Brendan replied with an amused puzzlement at Ste's sense of pride.

It was then Ste felt detached from the moment and his brain caught up with his mouth and he realised he hadn't intended to be this honest and open at all. A steely reserve took hold again and he emptied his beer and zipped up his jacket.

"Another?" Brendan offered.

Ste tip-toed over the thin line between holding onto his stand against Brendan's games and being civil enough to get the money he needed.

"No," he stated, jumping from the bar stool and fixing Brendan with a false bravo. "I'm going home to my boyfriend, he's cooking for me."

Brendan smirked. "And your _boyfriend_," he said, in a tone that mimicked Ste's, "he knows all about our special arrangement does he?"

Ste swallowed, his gaze diverted with guilt.

Brendan hummed in amusement. "Interesting,"

"Let's keep it that way," Ste said and then in a moment's hesitation realised he needed to change tact. "Please,"

Brendan motioned a zip across his mouth. "My lips are sealed Stephen. Sworn to secrecy,"

Ste tried to ignore the clench of doubt in his stomach and the glint of satisfaction in Brendan's eye and with one final glance at him, turned and left the club.

Ste was quite grateful when there was a knock on the door the next morning; there was only so long he could push the cardboard grey muesli, which Noah had made especially for him, before he noticed Ste had barely touched it.

It was a delivery guy at the door which surprised Ste as it was barely eight and their post barely arrived before midday usually. The man had a reflective coat pulled up to his chin and he spoke only in grunts as he asked Ste to sign.

"Are you sure this is for me?" Ste asked.

"Stephen Hay?" the man said with a rolling-eyes annoyance.

"Yeah,"

"Well it's yours," he said pushing the box into his hand, "Special delivery."

When Ste re-entered the flat, using a pair of scissors to slice open the box, he saw Noah had already tipped his uneaten breakfast in the bin in annoyance.

"What happened to my food?" Ste asked, tearing into the top flap of cardboard.

"It's obvious you don't like it Ste. You only had to say," he said. "What's in the box?"

"I don't know,"

But when Ste's eyes fell upon the pink, furry contents of the box, new Mr Snozzle's face smiling up at him, his stomach tightened and colour torched his face.

"Well?" Noah pushed.

"It's…" Ste hooked the teddy from the box and held it up – an identical twin of Leah's favourite bear. "It's for Leah…I got her a replacement for the one that got ruined,"

"Oh," Noah said, "Sweet,"

His interest disappeared quickly and he headed for the shower, leaving Ste sitting alone at the table. It was obvious who was behind this, who had managed to get it bought and delivered in a matter of hours, who had remembered glimpses of the bear Ste's child had held so tightly.

Ste dialled his number.

"What do you think you're playing at?" Ste said, keeping his voice quiet and his temper as measured as possible. This wasn't an ordinary act of kindness – this was _Brendan_, this was another way to snake into his life.

Brendan sighed on the other end of the phone. He was hardly out of bed, but it was never too early for him to play the game. "Let me know when you're ready to stop talking in riddles Stephen,"

"The teddy bear you sent to my flat this morning,"

"What about it?"

Ste scoffed, "You know what! I told you – no favours, no loans. I don't want anything from you,"

"But you'll stay after hours – you'll _lie_ about staying late – to help me cheat at poker, to whisper secrets in my ear, but you won't accept a gift for your daughter," Brendan said, "Don't you think Stephen, that's a little selfish? You've got a brand new toy for Leah sitting in your hand but she can't have it because of your pride?" Brendan tutted.

Ste slammed his fist on the table, a fork jangled against a glass.

"I'll see you tonight at eleven," Brendan said, ending the call without a response.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

He spied them through the window of Price Slice, Leah in a sun hat that dwarfed her and Stephen checking sell by dates and prices with that all too familiar frown on his forehead. Brendan skulked into the shop, ear glued to a phone call that he was pretending to make, making their meeting seem coincidental.

"Leah sweetheart, what juice is it mummy buys you?" Stephen asked her, a strain of stress to his voice. Brendan checked his watch, it was almost ten thirty, Stephen was due in work at eleven and Leah should have been at nursery.

Leah had the head of her new bear squeezed tightly to her chest as she pointed out a drink to her dad.

Stephen laughed, "Nice try, but I'm not buying ya that, your mam would kill me,"

Ste's laughter died quickly in throat when he noticed the man beside them studying the cereal boxes. "Brendan," he said in the irritated tone Brendan expected, "What you doing here?"

"Shopping…that's what people do isn't it? In shops," Brendan replied, lifting a packet of HobNobs in his hands, "Biscuits!"

"Biscuits! My favourite!" Leah cried, interrupting the tension and squeezing Mr Snozzle's belly as she seemed to hop right in front of him.

Brendan broke into a genuine smile, giving the sunflower on her hat a little tweak. Leah picked up her own packet of biscuits and turned to Ste said, "Daddy, these are mine,"

"Just this once," Ste said to Leah, shooting Brendan a glance.

"And some for Mr Snozzle," Leah said about to reach for another, but before she did, she turned to Brendan, "Daddy bought me a new Mr Snozzle,"

Brendan's mouth twitched in amusement, "So I can see. Lovely. Good dad you've got there Leah," he connected his gaze with Stephen's briefly before Ste was quick to look away, "You have a good day," he said as he left, nodding in Ste's direction – leaving him gawping and frowning all at once.

/x/

"It's a posh do, innit?" Ste explained as he buttoned up his shirt, facing the mirror.

Noah had grilled him all evening about the extra shift he was doing that night – a shift that meant he wasn't home until sometime after three. He had rehearsed the lies to himself before explaining the story to Noah. Just a private party being held at Chez Chez, guest list only, expected to run long after closing time.

"Can't you get me on the guest list?" he asked, giving Ste's shoulders a squeeze.

"I thought you were going into town with the lads tonight?" Ste said, combing his hair into place.

Noah scoffed. "Oh cos fending off Riley's groupies all night is much more interesting than spending it with you,"

"I'll only be working,"

"Fine," he said with a sigh, "I get the message. I'll head home then. Where are you staying tonight?"

"Well I dunno when this thing finishes, so I'll just crash here. I don't wanna wake ya,"

"Maybe I want to be woken," Noah said flirtatiously, pulling Ste into a kiss.

Feeling ever guiltier as the seconds ticked closer to the night of poker, Ste stopped him and shifted awkwardly on his feet.

"I'll see you tomorrow, yeah?" he tried to smile, to sound natural and not give away that he was desperately trying to lie to his face any longer. For a moment, he thought could Noah could read the truth in his face, but after being reassured by Ste that he'd spend the whole day with him the next day, he left the flat satisfied.

Ste checked out his appearance in the mirror – smart enough. He knew it was just a casual poker game of locals, but there'd be a lot of cash thrown about tonight and a Burton shirt was about the smartest he could go.

A bubble of excitement swelled in his belly and tightened his throat, he could remember the thrill of helping Brendan cheat before and get away with it. That was part of the pleasure, walking away with money that wasn't yours and you'd stolen under their noses. It was the same feeling he used to get as a kid, nicking stuff from the shops, joy riding and at times, sneaking around in the club for a blow job in the office. None of these things he was proud of, but they'd happened and it had given him kicks that some people were too goodie-two-shoes to understand.

It was ten-forty five, he pushed up the front of his hair and left the flat.

/x/

Of course he hated himself for it, but he couldn't deny the feeling in his gut when he saw Brendan, head to toe in black, shirt unbuttoned to the middle of his chest, leaning on the alley wall outside the club. Ste tried not to notice the way Brendan looked him up and down.

"Ready?"

Ste nodded and followed him into the club.

It was a different crowd than in their last poker night – some ten months ago now – fooling the same locals twice wouldn't have been an easy game. Students didn't have the cash to be splurging it on poker and Brendan was only interested in those with more money than sense. Riley Costello and friends were invited on the strictest instruction it was a private game, Riley wasn't to tell Warren or Carl about it.

"And don't tell those low-life lad friends of yours," Brendan had added, knowing if Noah knew about it, he and Stephen could kiss goodbye any involvement.

Predictably the rising football stars on Riley's team had already necked enough free lager to make them fumble with their cards and the dozy WAGS who peered over their shoulders gave the game away without Ste needing to really try all that hard to signal to Brendan. He, having decided it was too risky to host the game and cheat, had persuaded the cockney Savage wheeler and dealer bloke to run the game on his premises. Although Dodger's eyes wandered all too often to the girlfriends of the other men there and his game suffered from it.

Brendan deliberately folded in a few of the early games, planning to win big later on so as not to raise suspicions too soon. When he began to win, he noticed Ste relaxing a little – even enjoying himself – as they shared secret knowing glances and smirks at clueless Riley who might as well have handed over his wallet at the door.

Dodger was the first to give in. He'd even gone as far as fishing a few coppers out of his pocket before he raised his hands. "Look gentlemen, it's been lovely an' all but luck just ain't on my side tonight,"

Riley was eager to play more, but knowing he'd pushed his winner streak close to suspicion, Brendan denied him any more chances to be robbed and called it a night.

Riley, the lager having made him a little unsteady on his feet, gripped Dodger's hand and shook it, before pestering him to host other poker games in future.

"Ask the big man," Dodger replied, nodding to Brendan, "I mean he's the one with the cash now after all,"

Brendan smiled tightly and ushered them out the doors, "Come back when you've learnt how to bluff boys,"

Ste was collecting up the empty bottles and stacking chairs when Brendan returned to the empty club. He stalked over to the table, picking up the fresh wedge of cash and raised it to his nose, letting it flutter against his cheek. He opened an eye when he realised Ste was staring right at him.

Brendan split the pack down the centre and approached Ste.

"I believe this is yours," he said, thrusting the notes against Stephen's chest.

Ste's hand brushed his as he caught the wad of cash. He allowed himself a smile.

Brendan reached behind Ste's head, lifting a bottle from the shelf. "Celebratory drink?"


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N Thank you so much for the very kind comments and reviews, it's a pleasure to write and even better to get back some great feedback. I hope this chapter also clears up any Riley confusion from the last chapter! **

**Chapter Five**

Despite the buzz of success throbbing through his veins, Ste also felt niggles of guilt snapping at him. He knew in the past, he would have drunk with Brendan, he would have let the hours tick by, the alcohol flow through him, making him warm and blurry. Inevitably it would have reached the point in the night when all sense of what he _should _do would be pushed aside and he'd let Brendan use him again just because they were both horny. Then in the morning, or simply when the sweat had cooled, they'd be back to square one and it'd be just another empty fuck. But things had changed and he wasn't going to let that happen anymore.

Pushing the notes into his pocket, Ste stepped aside and gave a sort of feeble half yawn.

"Nah…it's…I've gotta go going," Ste said, fumbling his way through an excuse.

"Suit yourself," Brendan replied, now uninterested in anything but opening the bottle for himself. "See ya,"

Ste stood awkwardly for a moment, watching as Brendan shut himself off into his own world. He wondered if he should say something – thank him for letting him in on the poker, talk mindlessly about the game, ask him if he needed help cleaning up. Instead he silently collected his coat and left the club.

/x/

First thing the next morning, with only a few hours' sleep, Ste stopped by MOBs to pick up a special energy smoothie for Noah. He'd been trying to get Ste to drink them for weeks despite Ste's protests that the closest he got to drinking fruit was a strawberry milkshake from Relish. He appreciated Noah's efforts to get him to look after himself and his diet more, but he just wasn't a vitamin kind of bloke, MSG was more his thing. As a compromise that morning, he picked a tropical one which Duncan reassured him was the sweetest one. Not that he was ready to admit it to himself, the smoothie for Noah was a peace-offering of sorts, although as far as Noah was concerned, Ste was guilt free.

Just as he'd paid for the smoothie he saw Riley Costello out for a run. He took out his ear phones and stopped to chat to Ste, who suddenly felt tiny in comparison – his limbs combined were as thick as Riley's one arm.

"Alright Ste? Off to see the old ball and chain are you?" he said with his giant, goofy grin nodding in the direction of the cups Ste carried.

Confused for a moment, Ste frowned. "Oh, yeah, yeah."

The pair of them, not having ever really had a chat before, lingered awkwardly in silence both wanting to ask similar favours.

"Look mate you won't mention I was at the poker last night will ya? Just, it was supposed to be secret anyway, wasn't it? And well I told Noah I couldn't go on this big lads' night out cos I had some charity do to go to instead." Riley said.

"Course not. I don't think he'd be all that keen to know I was helping out at a poker game anyway,"

Riley nodded. "Cos of Brendan being your ex and all?"

Ste hesitated. "What? Er no…I meant cos y'know, I don't think he really agrees with gambling n'that."

"Oh right, right," Riley said. He fidgeted with his iPhone. "Well, I better crack on. See you around, yeah?" Riley jogged off in the direction of the park as Ste headed off to Noah's.

After he climbed the steps, he heard the rattle of a door and Brendan stepped out into the doorway of his flat. He pretended to read his folded up paper, as he lent on the frame shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

"Nice day for it," he said, not looking up from the paper.

Ste stopped at his doorway. "For what?"

Brendan looked up at him, stuffing the paper under his arm. "Splashing the cash,"

"Yeah well, I'm spending it on the kids in't I?" he said defensively.

"Good, as long as your intentions with it are honourable." Brendan smiled teasingly.

Ste scoffed. "And yours? Are your intentions _honourable_?" Ste asked, his fingers struggling to make quotation marks as he held onto the cups from MOBs.

Brendan's eyes took on a familiarly dark quality, his lips curving in mischief. "You know me Stephen, my intentions are _always_ dishonourable." His voice became low and velvety again, quiet and rich. It seemed to crawl inside Ste and make his heart race that bit faster.

Before Ste had a chance to react, Brendan seized the half-slurped tropical smoothie from Ste's hand and sucked on the straw. "For me?" he quipped, "Thanks for this." Slurped again. "Fruity."

Leaving Ste gawping, Brendan left the flat and took the steps two at a time.

"This is a nice surprise!" said Noah, shaking Ste from his thoughts and clearly having not witnessed his exchange with Brendan.

"Hey," Ste said, offering him the drink.

"Oh Ste, you know how to get me in a good mood," Noah pulled him into a kiss and lead him inside.

/x/

As he'd promised, they'd spent the day together and Ste had managed – rather convincingly he thought – to lie about the event last night and feign ignorance when Noah explained he didn't go out with Riley, but stayed in and watched the Hangover with Ethan and Doug.

Noah had spent most of the day in the flat with Ste frustrated that the other lads were lazing around it too and that Ste's flat was overrun with Amy and the kids. Finally after dinner, the lads drifted off to the pub and they were at last alone, slumped together on the sofa with a DVD.

"How about we skip to the end and head up to bed?" Noah said between kisses.

Before answering, Ste was distracted by a buzz in his pocket. "Hold that thought," he teased, fishing his phone out of his pocket.

Amy was on the other end sounding distressed, she sounded like she'd been crying or had picked up a cold from one of the kids. She pleaded with him to come home, Lucas had a high temperature and she was worried about him and Leah was bouncing off the walls from the wrong juice Ste had bought yesterday.

"Look I'm on my way. How bad is his temperature? You think I should take him to the hospital?" Ste said, standing and making his way over to the door to get his coat.

"Ste I don't know! Just please get here and help me out!"

"Just calm down, I'll be right over." Ste hung up, rubbed his forehead and looked at Noah apologetically. "I'm sorry-" he began.

"What is it tonight? Amy? The kids? Work? Cheryl? Brendan?"

Ste flared up in anger. "Me kid's sick okay, it's not like I planned it! I can hardly turn around to Amy and say 'Sorry Ames I'm leaving you to cope with a sick kid cos me boyfriend's sulking'! You've got no idea Noah!"

"Oh just go Ste. I'm sick of being at the bottom of your priority list,"

Ste scoffed. "Yeah well I'm sorry you have no idea how important my kids are to me, yeah?"

Storming out of the flat and down the steps, Ste barely noticed Cheryl, Lynsey and Brendan on the way back from a meal out together.

"Steady love!" Cheryl cried as he almost crashed into her, narrowing avoiding being knocked out by the glittery studs on her jacket, "What's the rush?"

"Everything okay Stephen?"

Ste stopped for a moment. "No, not really. It's Lucas,"

Brendan touched him on the shoulder. "What's wrong?"

"Amy called, she's really worried. Thinks he's got a fever or summit," he said, hesitating for a moment. "She's in a right state, Leah's all over the place too,"

"Lynsey could take a look at him, right Lynds?" Brendan said, looking at her for confirmation.

"Sure, course I can."

"Or I'll run you both to A&E for a check up,"

Ste looked from Brendan to Lynsey, "Would you, please?"

"Hey we'll all come love, give Amy a break, god love 'em kids can be a handful." Cheryl's hand replaced Brendan's on Ste's shoulder as she gave him a squeeze.

And when they all arrived at the door, Amy didn't even have a chance to make an angry comment about it not being some sort of party – she was simply grateful to have Cheryl prise Leah from her and distract her with jewellery.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N Thank you all for your wonderfully kind comments, I appreciate them all. I apologise for not being the quickest writer – I have later chapters completed already – it's the bits in between! Hope you like the next part! **

**Chapter Six**

Cheryl had Leah gabbling faster than she could breathe about fairies and princess, whilst calmly suggesting she should change into her jammies and get into bed so Cheryl could read her a story. He'd missed seeing his little sister with kids – she was always great with the boys back in Belfast – even if she did spoil them rotten.

Little Lucas bawled in the next room, as Lynsey, Amy and Ste stood around – Amy looking frazzled from an evening's stress. Brendan made tea in the kitchen, it being the first thing to come to mind and took them into Ste and Amy.

"Black, no sugar," he said handing the mug to Amy, who almost seemed grateful but unsurprisingly distracted by her son's state.

He handed Ste's his, giving his shoulder a sympathetic squeeze.

"How is he? Do you need me to run ya to the hospital?" he asked, directing his question between Lynsey then Amy and Ste.

"He's got a bit of a temperature, but I don't think it's anything to worry about. Do you have Calpol or anything?" Lynsey said, giving the little man's hair a stroke.

When Ste had routed around the bathroom cabinet for a bottle of the syrupy medicine, Lucas seemed to calm slightly at the quick intake of sugar. Lynsey suggested giving him something dry to eat and a damp flannel on his head and scribbled her number on a piece of paper to call if they needed anything.

By the time Ste, Amy and Lynsey returned to the living room, Cheryl and Leah were both worn out with each other's company and Leah had begun picking out the story she wanted read to her, tottering around Brendan's feet.

"Seriously thank you Lynsey for coming, I just couldn't think straight with both of the kids off the walls," Amy said.

"Don't mention it," Lynsey said, stifling a yawn. She laughed, "We better get off before we all fall asleep on you!"

Cheryl sat up drowsily from the sofa, and picked herself up, staggering a little on her awkward heels. Leah thrust a book into Brendan's hands and he smirked at the contrast of expressions in the room, awkwardness and alarm in her parents' faces.

Ste stepped forward, scooping her up in his arms and taking the book from Brendan. "Bed, you," Ste said to Leah and after thanking Brendan and their influx of help a final time, Ste carried Leah to her room.

/x/

"You'd be forgiven for actually thinking he was _normal_ sometimes, wouldn't you?" Amy said, collapsed on the sofa with the kids finally asleep.

"Who?" Ste said obliviously, washing up the mugs in the kitchen.

"_Brendan_." Amy said, adopting a strange voice when she mentioned his name.

"Well he's got kids of his own, ain't he? He knows what it's like,"

Amy rolled her eyes, unimpressed. "Yeah well he creeps me out when he's nice. It's always like he's got an ulterior motive,"

Ste was about to defend him, but he knew all too well what Amy's response would be. And she was sort of right. Yet tonight he just seemed to care.

/x/

He was back in work the next day – the usual lunchtime routine of making drinks and cleaning. They'd started making a few bits and pieces to eat for the lunch crowd which he liked doing – even if it consisted mainly of putting a sandwich and some crisps on a plate. He hadn't seen all that much of Brendan in the club, he'd spent most of the day holed up in the office probably making phone calls and checking out the orders from the supplier.

There was an ease, a relief, when he wasn't skulking around the bar, eyes and breath and words plaguing Ste as he worked, but in a funny way, he was better company than Warren who made no attempt to be anything more than his boss. Ste had tried, granted Warren and his past hadn't helped matters, but Warren didn't even seem to want to chat – not even about the mundane or even about Mitzeee.

Just after the lunch crowd had died down a little and Warren had gone to buy something to spoil Mitzeee with, Noah arrived at the club with flowers and an apologetic grimace on his face. Ste screwed up his nose and mouth in the sulky way he did to show he couldn't be bought that easily.

"Ste," Noah began, approaching the bar.

"I'm working," Ste replied, not looking up and not willing to give in too quickly.

"Five minutes, please. Cindy let me leave early for lunch especially,"

"Good for her!" Ste replied, the bottles behind the bar suddenly in need of rearrangement.

"Look, I shouldn't have said the things I did. It was completely selfish of me, but truth is Ste I just love being with you,"

Noah watched Ste's shoulder's rise and fall in a sigh and he shook his head slowly. "Me kids come first Noah. They always will." His voice lowered to a grumble, "You haven't even asked me how Lucas is,"

Noah creased in embarrassment. "How is he?"

"He's okay. Just a bug."

"Good. I'm relieved for you," he paused for a moment, hoping to see Ste soften a little more than he already had. "Ste please! I'm sorry, I'm an idiot." He pushed forward the flowers towards Ste. "Why don't we take the kids somewhere at the weekend. They're important to you, so they're important to me."

Ste's eyes darted to the side. "Okay," he said softly. "But you gotta realise they're me life,"

Noah kissed him briefly on the mouth. "I do."

/x/

Brendan knew he had to be smart about this deal. This wasn't one to fuck up. It was too risky to get Warren involved, he couldn't trust him as far as he could throw him for starters, not to mention he was willing to screw him over at any given opportunity. No, Foxy was a no go. He needed someone willing to look the other way, but cover his back, someone smart enough not to blow his cover. He needed someone with guts.

It was only then he'd been staring straight ahead at the rota on the wall – Ste in red marker. There was his answer, if he could just let himself be open to persuasion.

Yes. This could be the start of something special. Playing against the big men and walking away with everything. Together.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: I can only apologise for the length of time it's taken me to update this – I've had a severe case of writer's block! The next update will be at the end of the week and they will certainly be more regular without the wait! I hope you continue you to enjoy it anyway – thank you for the lovely reviews!**

**Chapter Seven**

As soon as Noah left the club, Ste started to realise that taking the kids away with Noah had disaster written all over it.

At times Noah tried, he really tried, but to such an extent Ste could see how much he hated it. Part of him wasn't surprised that he wasn't massively keen on having two young kids around all the time – having to entertain them, having to babysit, having to share Ste – maybe he himself wouldn't have been so keen if they weren't the most important things in his life. Being a dad had changed him in ways that it was hard to explain, especially to a guy like Noah who wasn't a father and who really had no one more important in life to look after than himself. He didn't blame him, he just found it hard to remember what it was like before his kids became the centre of his universe. And to tell the truth, Noah didn't grumble all that much – he had to share Ste with two kids, their mother and as much as they pretended he had no influence, the big black elephant in the room: his boss, his ex, his first.

Leah was bound to whinge (not to mention she'd taken a real dislike to Noah) and Lucas would probably cry the second the adults were about to embark on alone time and no doubt Ste would scuttle off to sort out the kids and Noah would rage silently and be too pissed off to bother with having sex when the kids were finally asleep. That seemed to be the way it went whenever Noah came over to the flat and Amy had made herself scarce. Sometimes Noah would be patient and understanding and interested in the kids and other times he'd make a comment that would almost make Ste feel ashamed that he'd had kids so young. But Noah stuck by him, with the baggage, knowing and accepting the history and his love for Ste hadn't changed.

Perhaps the weekend away wouldn't be so bad after all.

If he could afford to go anywhere further than the city walls that was.

\x\

As the lunchtime numbers dwindled, Ste approached the office door and knocked lightly. It was like Russian Roulette knocking on that door. In the past he wasn't sure whether he'd be greeted with flared eyes and a frightening aggression or whether Brendan would have his tongue in Ste's mouth and trousers unzipped quicker than he could yelp a hello. These days it was a lucky dip of cool indifference, snappy sarcasm or flirtation that bordered on sexual harassment. Ste heard a soft mumble of "Come in," and entered.

Ste kept the door open – their new routine – and asked if he could have a quick word.

"Be my guest," Brendan said, flicking some envelopes down on the desk. "How's your boy doing?"

"He's alright, gave us a bit of a fright," Ste said.

Brendan nodded. "Dec was the same when he was that age, always giving his ma' grief,"

Ste watched as a tinge of sadness passed over Brendan's face. He barely spoke about it these days, but Ste knew that look – he missed his sons terribly.

"Thank Lynsey again for coming over last night, won't ya?" Ste said, "And thanks for just…you know, being there."

Brendan twitched slightly, the unease in the room reaching new levels with a sense of civility between them. "What is it you wanted?"

"I was just coming to see if you've got any extra shifts you need me for next week?"

Brendan took out the monthly rota from the folder. He took at long sigh as he scanned over it. Ste knew full well that Brendan had developed a photographic memory when it came to knowing when Ste was working at the club so this was all a rouse to probably deny him more work.

Slipping the rota back in the folder and closing it, Brendan folded his hands in his lap and looked up at Ste.

"Is it because you need more money, or you wanna escape loverboy or you love than uniform so much?" Brendan asked with a smirk.

Ste, screwing up his nose as he pulled at the little black t-shirt, missed the moment where Brendan eyed him up and down as he sat in the office chair silently counting how many times he'd fucked Stephen in that uniform.

"Funny," Ste said. "I need the cash."

"What about if I told you, you could earn four night's worth of overtime in two hours?" Brendan said and then with a smug smile added. "And no, not in the way you're thinking."

Ste crossed his arms. "Look have you got any shifts or not?"

"Not." Brendan replied, chucking the folder under the desk. "Sit down and shut the door."

Ste's face tightened, his features shrinking in irritation. Brendan shot him an impatient look and he did what was asked.

\x\

"I'm not getting involved." Ste said, standing up just a few moments after hearing Brendan's offer. "I'll just go and ask Warren for extra work if you can't give me any."

"And he'll tell you exactly what I have," Brendan said, his words stopping Ste from opening the door. "We can't afford to give you any more shifts, especially not on the wage you're on." He gave Ste a knowing look. Even though they had been boss and employee and nothing more for months now, Ste's wages hadn't been reduced from the high levels it had reached from all the "after hours" bonuses Brendan had slipped into his pay packet as a sign of gratitude.

"It's dodgy. It's dangerous," Ste lowered his voice to whisper, "And not to mention _illegal_ for a start. I'm not getting involved in drugs or anything like it again,"

"It wasn't so long ago you were willing to help out Foxy with something _illegal_ Stephen. What's changed?"

"I have," Ste said, "I'm done making mistakes."

"I need a name. I need an address. Nothing A-Class about it. I'll drop you off, I'll pick you up. I'll wait around to make sure there's no trouble. You can have five-hundred for your trouble. For the kids. For you and Mr Motivator to spend on candles and gym memberships."

"Five hundred quid?"

"To the penny," Brendan replied, picking up the glass paperweight and tossing it between his hands. He knew like any game with Stephen, he had to trickle information slowly to get him to agree. If he knew the bigger job, the greater sum was around the corner he'd surely back out before the real danger started.

"And why can't you do the job?"

Brendan circled his face with his finger and pointed to his moustache. "Recognisable face." He sat back in the chair, relaxing into the knowledge Stephen was close to agreement. "They know me, they'd pick up on the accent."

"And it's safe? Pick up a name and an address and go?"

"Safe as houses," Brendan said. "If they so much as touch a hair on your head, I'll make sure they know about it."

\x\

An hour after closing, Brendan's phone rang.

"I'll do it." His voice was barely audible, Brendan guessed Muscles was nearby.

"Friday night. Wear plain clothes. I'll pick you up outside the demolished church, St Eustace. No CCTV there,"

Ste grimaced, Friday was the day he and Noah had just made plans, expensive plans, to take the kids to a B&B so the next day they could visit Chester Zoo. "Friday night? I told Noah we'd…"

"Lie to him." Brendan replied without hesitation. "You've done it before."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

It was times like this Ste wished he still smoked. Standing on street corners, outside a wrecked church in a hoodie seemed suspicious – but with a fag hanging out your mouth it gave you something to do so you stopped worrying about everyone else and what they were thinking. He checked the time on his phone: either he was early or Brendan was late. A bubble of panic rose in his chest until headlights stung his eyes and a silver Mercedes pulled up beside him.

Ste's thoughts drifted to a period of time that felt a lifetime ago now. He remembered waiting on an anonymous street, shivering and ribs still bruised and sore. He'd almost jumped out of his skin when Brendan beeped the horn at him back then and climbed apprehensively into the car. He'd never been in Brendan's car before and he'd sat bolt-upright, awkward limbs on the leather seat. Brendan's hand reached up to stroke his cheek and tucked Ste's hair behind his ear, leaving Ste to realise this was Brendan's way of moving on from the beating from the other day. And he'd sensed Ste's reluctance and moved in for a kiss, slow and tender, smiling and reassuring until Ste was once more putty in his hands, eager and compliant. They took a detour before reaching the hotel, somewhere dark and unseen. With the engine off, Brendan gave him a look that drove straight through Ste's resolve and without complaint he let Brendan's hands roam his thighs, groan into his mouth. And then before he'd even had chance to think about how much he wanted Brendan to do it, Brendan had gone down on him, leaving Ste breathless, pressing his burning face against the cold window pane.

Brendan's voice woke him from the memory.

"Get in," he said with the window wound down.

They sat in silence for a while in the car, Ste gazed out the window watching hedge rows blur.

"Loverboy's waiting for you to come home is he?" Brendan asked.

Ste wondered whether Brendan could ever manage a genuine question. It was laced with hatred, sarcasm and jealousy, Ste supposed.

"It's none of your business,"

"Touchy subject. I get it, I get it." Brendan said. "Must be hard for you boys, the lies…"

"Coming from the king of lies," Ste said with a glare.

Brendan laughed coldly. "And look who you're with now Stephen. The king,"

Ste scoffed.

"You're not so pure as driven snow yourself, are you Stephen? It's not as if you're lying to protect his feelings, is it?"

Ste found his fists balling. "You 'aven't got a clue,"

"So if he knew you were alone with me right now, in the dark, in my car…"

Ste cut him off. "He'd have nothing to worry about."

"So he trusts you around me then? _Noah_?" Brendan asked, his voice mocking Noah's very name.

"He doesn't trust you," Ste said flatly.

Brendan gave a smug hum of approval. "So he'd really hate this then,"

"And you get a real kick of that, don't ya?"

Brendan changed gear and chuckled, low in his throat. "Whatever cosy little set up you two have got going on is no flies on me mate,"

Ste burned with answers and comebacks. He knew it bothered Brendan right to the core that he couldn't have him anymore and that he and Noah were flaunting love's young dream right under his nose. But at the same time, Ste was playing right into his hand – lying to Noah, spending more and more time with Brendan again, locked into secret deals and hushed whispers. Everything with Brendan was illicit and dangerous and immoral. And he'd be lying, he'd be denying everything he'd known to be true since he was a boy, to say that danger and crime and secrets didn't turn him on. The buzz, the adrenaline – it was an addiction he'd been trying to fight with what was good and what was right. He just hoped it wasn't a losing battle.

\x\

"You tell him nothing, you understand? Nothing. Not your name, not the time, nothing," Brendan said. They pulled into a side road of a non-descript area. Ste wasn't even sure what city they were in, only that it seemed like they'd been on the road for over an hour.

"I get the message," Ste replied, a little abruptly.

"Hey," Brendan said tapping Ste's cheek, "Don't be giving me any of that," he gave a talking gesture with his hand, "I ain't saying it for a joke. I mean it. You're playing the game with the big boys now,"

"I know," he said, "Hang around on the mobile, say the magic phrase and I'll be handed the all-important information. You told me a hundred times,"

"So I did," Brendan replied.

Brendan watched him leave and switched off the engine as the car flooded with darkness. He knew that no harm could come of Stephen in this simple exchange of an address and name, he wouldn't have asked him otherwise, but it did make him sweat. He sat still and rigid in the seat, picking and chewing at his fingernails, checking his watch at all-too regular intervals. At seconds dragged on he wished he'd roped someone meaningless, someone anonymous into this deal, someone that didn't make him ache pathetically with worry.

Mere minutes later the passenger door was being unlocked and Ste jumped into the car. Brendan tried not to look as relieved as he felt on Ste's return. Ste almost bounced into the seat and launched the envelope in Brendan's direction. It was only then Brendan realised that Ste was actually giddy!

"What?" Ste asked when he realised Brendan had been starting at him with a bemused smirk before he turned the key in the ignition.

"You got a buzz off of that did ya?"

"No," Ste said with an expression that made him ever more transparent.

Brenda laughed a little in the back of his throat. "Yeah y'are. It's adrenaline, coursing through your veins right now, I've been there."

Brendan saw a layer of guilt wash Stephen's face.

"Some people take drugs for kicks, some sky dive. Men like you and me? It's risk. Danger."

Ste was glad of the darkness in the car, he felt a little more hidden as he watched Brendan now, writing off his guilt, making the thrill of crime and jeopardy feel ever more exciting.

Brendan pierced him with blackened, knowing eyes and Ste was taken back to times before in the dark, those same eyes, that same quiet of heavy breathing and the thrill of secrets and lies and the forbidden.

"Doing things we shouldn't do. That's what gets us off," Brendan continued.

Ste closed his eyes, slower than he intended and swallowed. Pushing out the adrenaline he spoke.

"I need to go home now."


	9. Chapter 9

_A/N: I have to apologise for the appalling lack of updates lately, had severe writer's block and been busy. Thank you for all your comments and I hope you enjoy this. I will try my hardest to be a bit more regular with the updates!_

**Chapter Nine**

Since that night, Ste couldn't quench the feeling that things had changed beyond repair. Not only between him and Brendan, but between him and Noah. Little irritants niggled and he found himself increasingly distanced from Noah, lost in his own thoughts. He wasn't even thinking of Brendan – not all the time anyway – but he was starting to find routines creeping in and life becoming, well, lifeless.

The weekend away together with the kids had been nothing short of a nightmare. The kids got ratty and travel sick and it wasn't as if Noah and he had had any time alone during it. Noah seemed to grit his teeth and battle through it – trying his very best with Leah and Lucas – but they kids were testing even Ste's patience, so he dreaded Noah's feelings on the matter. Ste spent the whole bus journey back to Hollyoaks grimacing and apologising to Noah, swearing that the next time he'd make it just the two of them. This was not how Ste had imagined a holiday with his kids and his boyfriend at all. He hadn't expected to feel so embarrassed about his failings as a parent in Noah's presence.

And back home, Ste and Noah fell into their old habits, compromises about their evening plans that Ste didn't really want to make and feeling a void better them which he tried so desperately to ignore and pretend wasn't so important. The fact Noah was so different was a good thing. He needed good influences on his life, it was making his darker history disappear and making him a better man, wasn't it?

But even so he couldn't shake the memory of sitting in the front of Brendan's Mercedes, picking up information from a stranger and that edge of danger but knowing that he'd be protected, whatever. It was the biggest rush of adrenaline he'd had in a long time.

He'd pretend to himself that he couldn't remember the last time he'd felt the blood pumping through him like that: the fear, the excitement. He did. Of course he did. It had been October and the bricks were cold against his spine. Brendan approached him like the devil and set him alight.

Lately with Brendan, there'd been an extra edge of something - whether it was trust or just a shared secrecy – but it didn't make Ste feel like he had in the past, like Brendan was going to use it against him when he could. Ste gave him no reason to of late. It was alien to think it, but they almost felt like friends.

Despite this, Ste had still been witness to Brendan's ever changeable moods – which flipped like the turn of a coin – and had continued to keep a wary distance from the dark side of his temper. He seemed at his worst when Ste had returned from his weekend away and Ste wasn't ignorant as to why – he had risked it by going behind Brendan's back and asking Cheryl if he could swap a shift.

"Say that again idiot and I'll be there to rip out yer throat," Ste overheard Brendan threaten an unknown over the phone. The door of the office had been flung open, as if Brendan's tone of voice was a word of warning to the strays in the top floor of the club, and he made his presence known as he sauntered through the doorway and snarled at Ste for a drink.

He continued the mysterious phone conversation, mocking the stammers of the caller and ending the call abruptly. "Get what I asked. You don't want to know what I do when I'm upset. This, _this,_ is calm."

Ste pushed the glass tumbler in Brendan's direction, chewing the inside of his mouth as he replaced the ice tray under the bar. He made the mistake of the briefest of eye contact with Brendan.

"Problem?"

Ste shook his head.

Brendan forced a teeth-baring grin. "I'm guessing you're wondering who that was on the phone?"

"Not really. None of my business, is it?" Ste shrugged.

Brendan snorted with laughter, giving a little shiver of amusement. "Well that's new."

"What is?"

"You. Stephen – the boy who sticks his nose in where it's not wanted – is a changed man!" he said, sarcastically offering a soft round of applause. "But then sometimes it pays to be nosy. I mean if I hadn't been nosy I never would have known you'd gone behind my back to skive a day off work,"

Ste rolled his eyes. "I asked Cheryl,"

"Cheryl ain't your boss. I am."

"Well she gave me another shift,"

Brendan downed his glass and clunked it onto the bar top. "On Tuesday night, yeah. Inconvenient…shame."

And with that, he span to the right and disappeared back into the office – the door flung shut behind him with a flourish.

Ste felt his nosiness creep back in – why was Tuesday night inconvenient and a "shame" that he was working? Brendan was messing with him, he knew it, but for now he shrugged it off and tried not to let him dominate his thoughts.

\x\

Tuesday night came and things started to become clearer.

When Ste showed up for his nine until closing shift he heard hushed rumours that one of the staff would be required to close up that night (a job usually reserved for Warren or Brendan). Ste knew Warren was on a trip with Mitzeee, so that meant…

"There he is, bottle opener of the century," Brendan jibed, approaching Ste as he wormed his way through a crowd to get behind the bar.

There was something different about Brendan tonight, which become evident as soon as Ste had thought it. To begin with, he had definitely had too much to drink – not like someone might if they were depressed, but if they had stepped over the limit of Dutch courage – Ste could tell by the glaze in his eyes. And then Ste noticed he wasn't alone.

There was a woman attached to him. Or he was attached to her – hips touching and an arm around her middle. It was strange how he could make body contact seem so cold. Of course he didn't give her a second glance, it was all robotic gum chewing and a gaze fixed between Ste's lips and hair. It was another definite sign he'd had too much to drink – he might've been with a woman but his urges were much harder to disguise with whiskey in his veins.

Ste pretended not to be baffled by this show in front of him – it was a throwback to months gone by – and began taking orders, throwing the odd irrepressible glance in that direction. As soon as he clocked the small crowd of serious looking Suits around Brendan, Ste's suspicions - about why a man who was out to most locals was cosied up to a woman – started forming.

Brendan kissed his female company on the cheek and excused himself, striding over to Ste with a set of keys.

"I need you to close up for me tonight," he said. For a moment he waved the keys in Ste's face like you might a baby and then with no regard for personal space, he thrust them deep into Ste's trouser pocket. "I'm trusting you," he said.

"And where are you off to?" Ste asked, stopping Brendan in his tracks and wishing almost immediately he hadn't played so easily into his hands.

The corner of Brendan's mouth twisted smugly. "Poker." He stood shoulder to shoulder with Ste behind the bar, both of them watching Brendan's party, the lone female in particular.

"Beautiful isn't she?" Brendan said.

Ste scoffed. "Whatever floats your boat,"

Brendan glanced him over and smiled.

"Back in the closet for tonight then?"

"My first choice was working,"

Brendan turned his head, a languid, deliberate stalk of his eyes up Ste's body, which for a split second Ste was drawn into.

"You wanted me to play?" Ste asked, a rush of excitement making the tips of his ears hot.

"Yeah. I wanted you to _cheat_."

"So she's gonna cheat for you?"

"I'm gonna fold early and she's going to rob those bastards blind. Then it's fifty-fifty for her and me. Cha-ching."

Brendan stayed beside him long enough to see the disappointment on Ste's sulky mouth. He patted the pocket of Ste's which bulged with the club keys. "Don't forget to lock up, there's a good boy," and with that he left Ste and rejoined the crowd, linking back with the mystery woman with a last look thrown in Ste's direction.


End file.
